Lessons Learned
by Someone on the Street
Summary: 13 Ghost centered piece. Daphne wakes up in the middle of the night, unable to sleep due to a pressing matter that's been weighing heavily on her for some time. A birthday present for Ellis97!


Lessons Learned

by .

 _Author's Note: A very special birthday gift to one of my fellow authors here on ._

The constant pattering of the rain started a redheaded woman from her slumber. As her bleary vision came into focus, Daphne Blake first glanced out th window to see drops of water slamming full force into her bedroom window with resounding tap-tap-taps that sounded almost like it could have been a person doing it. She sighed, then looked at the clock that sat on the nightstand beside her bed. Unable to see the time on the clock's round face, she reached clumsily toward the light switch on the bedside lamp. She recoiled for a second as the light pierced the darkness, then squinted at the clock again.

2:23 AM.

Daphne sighed again and mumbled a little before sitting up. She stretched her arms, letting the slight popping in her joints fully bring her mind around to the fact that, yes, she was indeed awake. At 2:23 AM. She hated insomnia. Sliding her feet into her slippers, Daphne's mind wandered to another subject. It was something that she had been working on clandestinely for a time, something she wasn't quite ready to unveil just yet.

As she shuffled down the hallway past the other bedrooms, she decided that there was no time like the present to continue her work. This particular assignment was more important than any story the higher-ups for the local paper placed in front of her.

She knew the layout of the two-story home step-for-step, so it was no surprise that Daphne was able to navigate her way down the stairs without the aid of a light. The moonlight cast long, exaggerated shadows over the walls. If Daphne were on a case with her friends this would normally be enough to make the hairs on the back of her neck stand up, but the current issue weighed so heavily on her mind that she barely acknowledged them as she stepped off of the bottom stair and onto the hardwood floor.

Nudging open the door to her study, Daphne flipped the light switch and made her way to the large oak desk against the wall. It was a small room, but it was Daphne's, the one space that was off limits to anyone else, even Vincent. Bookcases lined the opposite wall, packed full with a book on nearly every subject, and many with worn spines indicating heavy use. Plopping heavily into her chair, Daphne's eyes fell knowingly on a manila folder that lay atop the desk. Her pale hand reached out to lay atop the smooth surface and she ran her hand along it a moment. Something in the living room flashed and her eyes instinctively flitted up toward it.

Through the open door, Daphne could make out the familiar shape of the crystal ball on the coffee table. It was dark at the moment as it was not being used. Drumming her fingers thoughtfully on the folder, Daphne bit her lip and pondered whether or not it would be wise to contact Vincent at this hour. He had become very good friends with the ragtag sleuths over the last year; at this point he had even become sort of a father figure for Daphne. The two had often had lengthy conversations via crystal ball late into the night; sometimes she would vent about the general aches and pains of mortal life, sometimes it would be for advice, and sometimes one or the other was simply lonely and needed some company. As much as Daphne cared for Shaggy, there were times where she truly needed some mentally stimulating conversation, and talking about food was sometimes not what Daphne needed to hear about. Regarding Scooby and Scrappy, well... They're dogs. No offense to any canines, of course.

No. He'd probably get cross if she woke him at this hour. But this was so very important! Her mind wandered to one of their former conversations...

TWO MONTHS AGO

"What will happen to you guys now that all the ghosts are sealed up?" Daphne inquired, gesturing to the Chest of Demons as it now sat securely in Vincent's study. She took a small step further away as the hellish box issued a dim red glow.

The aged sorcerer arched one of his brows, his steel blue eyes unblinking.

The gang had managed to capture the last few demons and all thirteen were now securely trapped in their prison. Van Ghoul had even warded the Chest of Demons with a few extra protection spells to ensure security. He craned his neck as the joyous sounds of celebration echoed through the ancient hallways of the castle. The others were certainly happy to finish the mission. Vincent couldn't blame them.

"Come with me, Daphne," he said to his young charge after a brief wait and with a slight wave of his staff. The glass globe on the end of the staff began to glow a bright green that played off the stone walls in a series of uneven shadows. With a nod, she followed nervously as he led the way down the ancient corridor. They were going to take the long way to the party where the others were; this would give them time to talk.

She trusted Vincent, however his presence still exuded a rather intimidating feeling. Daphne was never not intimidated by him.

"There's more on your mind. I can tell," Vincent spoke without looking at her.

"Well, yeah... All thirteen demons are locked up. And. Well, I guess... I'm not quite ready to part ways yet. I'm going to miss you guys."

Vincent stopped in his tracks. It was a good thing that Daphne couldn't see his face, because his expression was the closest he'd been to stunned as he'd made for centuries. He knew something was plaguing her, he could sense it for some time, especially after the final demon had nearly cost the redhead her life.

He remembered how it had happened- Daphne had taken the brunt force of an attack that was aimed toward Flim Flam and-

He whirled around with as much composure as he could muster. The green glow illuminated the bandages that wrapped Daphne's left arm and concealed the still-healing wounds. If Daphne was in pain, she was good at hiding it. Her own emerald green eyes looked up at him warily. "Mr. Van Ghoul?"

"You nearly died on the last mission."

Daphne looked down at her arm and then grinned sheepishly. "You're my friends. I had to do something when I saw that thing rushing at Flim Flam."

"There's more to it. Your energy lately seems so confused, and much lower than it normally is. Are you absolutely sure that you're just asking because you'll miss us?"

"Well... No," Daphne admitted reluctantly. Damn. He knew how to read people without even trying.

"Then tell me," Vincent growled, unintentionally sounding more irritable than he meant, "I'm missing out on the cake." He jutted a thumb toward the sounds of the party down the hall.

"It's about Flim Flam."

"What about him?"

"Is he going to stay here with you after we leave?"

"I was hoping to take him on as an apprentice. He is a talented and intelligent young man."

"I was only wondering, because... Well, I'm getting pretty attached to him myself."

Vincent tilted his head in thought. Flim Flam was still a young child. Sure, he cared a great deal about the boy, however he was not exactly the nurturing type. Daphne, on the other had, was. He saw it every day; she always stayed with him when the group split up, was the first to catch him if he fell, and...

He glanced at the bandages again.

"Daphne, let's talk."

PRESENT

And now here Daphne was, drumming her fingers on this manila folder and staring blankly at the crystal. She stood up and walked toward the crystal, gently lifting it. It seemed heavier than it normally was, and Daphne decided that it was mostly because of the anxiety building in her core.

She placed it upon her desk and then closed the door. Nervously, she reached out and twisted one of the dials on the stand beneath the ball. Swirls of blue smoke began to materialize within the crystal and as the picture started to appear, Daphne whispered.

"Vincent? Psst! You up?"

The first thing to appear of her dear friend were his distinct blue eyes. Those always showed up first. In seconds, his stern face was in plain sight. Despite his expression, his tone was relatively cheerful- as cheerful as the voice of the sorcerer could muster. "You called?"

"Oh, phew. You're up."

"Daphne, how long have you known me? You must be aware at this point that I'm quite the night owl."

"I, uh... I have it." Daphne held up the folder; with all of the paperwork that filled it, the ensemble was close to an inch thick.

"You're going through with it, then? You're taking on quite a lot."

"I know."

"In the end, this will be good for him. He's a smart boy. And he'll appreciate your efforts."

Vincent even offered a rather proud smile to Daphne.

"Thanks, Mr. Van Ghoul."

"You're very welcome, Daphne. Talk to him, and listen to any concerns he may have. That's the next step."

"Don't you mean the first step?"

"You've formed the bond with him. That was the first step, my friend."

"Thank you. I'll keep you posted."

Vincent nodded and the crystal went dim again.

Left alone again, Daphne sighed with anxiety and looked down at the folder before her. Was she truly ready? Would he accept it? Or would he not want to take her offer? Either way, daphne would respect the boy's wishes.

"I need some water.." she finally said, standing up and leaving the study. She turned out the light and shut the door, then headed to the kitchen. As she watched the glass fill up in the sink, Daphne sighed with irritation as the light above her head suddenly went out and drowned her in blackness. The power went out. "Great."

Quickly downing her water, she meandered back into the living room - and was blinded by a sudden flash of bright light.

"Oh-! Sorry, Daphne," came a familiar high-pitched voice, followed by a trademark squeaky chuckle.

Rubbing her eyes, Daphne focused on Flim Flam's face, illuminated by the glow coming from the flashlight in his hand. His own green eyes glinted.

"What are you doing out of bed?" Daphne asked, walking toward the couch. She sat and invited the boy to sit beside her, which he did without hesitation.

"The branches of the tree outside my room kept smacking the window," the boy yawned.

At that point a particularly bright bolt of lightning lit up the sky and sent the young boy running for cover, which so happened to be in Daphne's arms. He peeked up at her after a moment. "I ain't scared." Daphne just laughed and gave him a quick hug and kissed the crown of his head, making him blush. She she lowered her arms from the hug, Flim Flam's expression fell a little.

"You alright..?" Daphne asked.

Flim Flam looked like he was deep in thought. Never before had he been treated this way. Never before had someone voluntarily shown him affection. Growing up on the streets of Tibet, he was entirely unaccustomed to the whole idea of affection. For once he had no smark-allick quip to hide his true feelings, and this frightened him. Was he truly ready to let his gaurd down? He was tongue-tied. But he really wanted Daphne to know what was on his mind, he was so sick of having to swallow his thoughts all the time. Instead of trying to find words, he just grabbed Daphne's forearm and pulled it back around himself before settling down at her side.

Daphne was a total mush for kids - especially this one. She leaned down and wrapped him in her arms. Flim Flam had never down this before. Sure, they'd hugged before but this one felt... Heavier. There was a deeper feeling associated with this hug. Just then, she registered an unfamiliar shaking. Drawing back slightly, she saw that Flim Flam had curled up and was violently trembling. He was crying.

"Flim Flam..?" She held him tighter.

He looked up at her with his tear-streaked face. "Daphne, don't let me go. I just... Wanna be hugged right now. I ain't never been snuggled like this before."

She obliged, pulling him to her and started to stroke his jet black hair. "Let it all out... I've gotcha, Flim Flam.."

This only made him sob harder. Daphne allowed him to cling to her and cry. He would talk when he's ready.

"I don't wanna go back," he sniffed. "I don't wanna go back to the village."

"You don't..?"

"Everyone there hates me. I guess it's well-deserved, after all the cons I'd pulled, but... I'm different now..."

Daphne continued to pet his hair and hummed a little to acknowledge his statement.

"I don't wanna go back there. Nobody there will hug me or talk to me like you do, Daphne. And... I can try to be more like a kid should be..."

"Are you saying that you want to stay here with us?"

"Uhm. If that's not any trouble? I'd.. Like to be somewhere where someone actually cares.."

Daphne smiled and tilted his chin up. "I'm sure we can arrange something with Vincent regarding a long distance apprenticeship, little guy.."

Normally the boy would have balked at such a nickname as "little guy", but he didn't care at that moment. His eyes travelled to her arm. The old wound was completely healed, however now there was a rather prominent scar in her flesh. Flim Flam reached down and placed his small hand on it.

"I'm so sorry, Daphne..." More tears streamed down his cheeks.

To his surprise, Daphne turned her hand over and took his hand. She squeezed it gently and used her other hand to wipe his tears away.

"Don't be, sweetie. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if it means that you'll still be here."

Flim Flam locked his eyes on hers. "You really care...?"

Daphne kissed his forehead. "Of course."

The two waited out the power outage by retelling missions and recalling their favorite moments of each. Flim Flam was more than happy to have someone genuinely take interest in him. This of course inflated his self esteem and it compelled him to show off a little with a few small time magic tricks. Daphne was happy to humor the boy, watching with interest and pride.

When they had first met Flim Flam, he was particular about space and seemed undernourished. His yellow tracksuit practically hung off of the gaunt form he was hiding. Daphne beheld the boy now, who was surprisingly affectionate. His improving health reflected in the glow his seemed to eminate. He was getting stronger every day and Daphne was relieved. She silently admitted that she didn't want to send him back either, for fear that he would return to his former state once again. Vincent was certainly a valuable companion to have, but he was no parent material.

Flim Flam's own comfort had increased tenfold in only this short time with just Daphne. If it was one thing he was good at, it was keeping things to himself. Never let anyone in, it gives someone a surefire way to hurt him in the end. He'd learned that during his days as a street urchin, days he certainly didn't want to return to. There wasn't a whole lot of his life before being orphaned that he could clearly remember, but he was more than happy to share what he did know. Daphne noticed that he seemed lost in his thoughts.

"What's on your mind, Flim Flam...?"

"Flynn."

"Excuse me...?"

"Uhm... My name. It's Flynn..." the boy confessed with a blush.

Daphne smiled lovingly and pulled him into a huge. A name is an extremely personal thing, and the fact that he shared that with her, well... It was more than overwhelming. Flim Flam leaned into her hug, feeling safe and protected for practically the first time in his life. She kissed his forehead.

"That's a lovely name," she complimented.

"Yeah, well. I don't want anyone else knowing it. Plus, Flim Flam just sounds cooler."

"Whatever you say, honey," Daphne replied, playfully rustling his hair. She cast a look back toward the closed door to her study. She sighed nervously, then looked back toward the boy's curious face. "Flim Flam... I have something to tell you."

Flim Flam initially chuckled and opened his mouth to make a smarmy response, but he quelled it when he saw the serious expression on her features. He gulped. Oh, no. Was she going to send him back? Did she changed her mind after all. A guilty look crossed his own face and he slumped a little. "I'm sorry.."

Daphne placed a soft hand on his shoulder. "Follow me?"

Flim Flam sat back to allow the redhead room to get up, and he hopped off the couch. She led her way to the study and his eyes widened. She was actually allowing someone into her study? He remembered the last time someone tried to go in there - Shaggy - and she had gotten extremely upset bout it. From that point on, the boy never even approached that door. What was she hiding in there, he wondered?

She opened the door and stepped in, flipping on the flashlight. She grabbed something off the desk. Looked heavy, he thought as he glanced at the manila folder she clutched. Gesturing with the flashlight, Daphne waved back out to the living room. Flim Flam scampered alongside her, eagerly flitting his eyes to the folder and up at her. What was this? Must be really exciting.

Gingerly placing the folder down on the coffee table, Daphne sat down just as Flim Flam stoof in front of the couch and stared at it. She shined the beam of light on it. "Go ahead and open it," she said, gesturing with her free hand.

Flim Flam's hands immediately fell upon the cover, but he stopped himself. His mind was already swimming with speculations. Is it a top secret newspaper article? Maybe a conspiracy theory? Another set of demons that need to be locked up or-

"Sweetie, please open the folder... It has to do with you."

He gulped. It must be his criminal record.

With a nod, he slipped his fingers under the covers, and opened the folder. His jaw dropped.

Before him sat a form, with a photo of himself paperclipped to it, and several fields of questions that were already filled out in Daphne's distinctive cursive. But that wasn't what made he boy catch his breath; it was in fact the print along the top in big, bold lettering: APPLICATION FOR ADOPTION.

Flim Flam whirled around to face Daphne. The secret was out. All those nights that Daphne was holed up in her study, all those days she seemed so very tired because she hadn't slept, how quiet she had been about what she was doing, it all made sense now. He could now fully see the exhaustion etched in her face. Her eyes were glittering and glassy; a second later Daphne's tears started to silently flow as she awaited his answer. His mouth was agape; he was at a total loss for words. His own vision turned glassy and his jaw trembled as he felt the burn in the core of his chest, welling up through his body and creating a burning sensation in his eyes that in seconds manifested in tears of his own. He took a shaky step forward, and Daphne gently set the flashlight down.

She tried her best to read the boy's face. She was prepared with the entire speech she'd drummed up with Vincent's help. About how it was all up to him, that he didn't have to-

"...Momma." he whispered in his cracking voice.

Daphne's hand lifted him up under his arms and swiftly wrapped him up in a tight embrace. They both cried together in the darkness. Flim Flam whimpered and nuzzled his cheek into her chest. She wanted to be his mother. He'd never had one of those! Daphne's fingers combed through his hair as she planted kisses all over the top of his head.

"I'm here.." she whispered through her tears. "Your momma is here, honey... You're home."

This made the boy cry harder. "I love you, Momma."

"I love you, too."


End file.
